User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
jwillis
a Cross Country Rider
from Fremont, CA

Date Reviewed: October 22, 2008

Weaknesses: Poor reliability

Bottom Line:

This chain came stock with my Dahon folding bike. After 3 months of riding, the chain snapped at the master link. I've never seen this before even with the cheapest most thoroughly abused chains. One of the sides of the master link just ripped in two.

Submitted by
Sean Elliott
a Cross Country Rider
from Lynchburg, VA USA

Date Reviewed: September 29, 2004

Strengths: Strong and cheap, no visible rust after 3 years. Grinds up anything that gets stuck in it, beach sand and seashell pieces included.

Weaknesses: KMC MissingLink isn't as fancy as SRAM PowerLink, requires a pair of pliers to squeeze open. I had one MissingLink pop in half on a hard hill-climb; replaced with new MissingLink and all is well.

Bottom Line:

I got this chain despite repeated urging by both Bicycling Magazine and Cedar Bluff Cycles to avoid KMC chains at all cost. So I bought the best KMC chain they had, because it was STILL cheaper than a comparable SRAM chain.

After three years and 1000 miles of road, trail, wet beach sand, and ocean water, the chain is getting old but it still runs smoothly and quietly, and the shifting is still quick and decisive. There is no visible rusting or pitting.

I clean the chain once every six months or so by shaking it in a jar of paint thinner with a magnet on the lid to catch the metal shavings. I've accumulated about 2cc of metal shavings (because I wanted to see how much would wear off), and despite the loss of metal it still performs to my expectations.

I lubricate it with Tri-Flow teflon lube about once a month. Tri-Flow is also an excellent product.